Looking Forward: 5 JRPG’s to keep an eye on in 2017

2016 was a good year for gamers, including JRPG fans. A number of great titles released across various platforms, including Final Fantasy XV and Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE. While 2016 was a good year, there are even more titles for JRPG fans to look forward to in 2017.

From remakes to returning greats, here are some of the most exciting JRPGs gamers can anticipate in 2017.

Tales of Berseria

JRPG fans will be able to kick off the new year with the January release of Tales of Berseria. The game takes place thousands of years before the latest entry in the series, Tales of Zestiria, and will be the first game in the franchise to feature a solo female protagonist. It will feature a darker plot than past titles, and the world will be more open. Despite this, Tales of Berseria seems to be keeping the franchise’s signature anime visuals, and looks to be another great entry in the legendary series.

Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age

This past year, Square Enix announced that Final Fantasy XII would be receiving the HD treatment with The Zodiac Age. The HD remaster will be based off of the International Zodiac Job System version of the game, which never released in the U.S. This version of the game incorporates a job system, with jobs including everything from Archer to Knight. The remaster will include improved graphics, as well as a newly recorded soundtrack. There will also be a Trial Mode and a High Speed Mode. Whether gamers have played Final Fantasy XII or not, this will be one JRPG to look out for when it releases for the PlayStation 4 sometime this year.

NieR: Automata

The first NieR was met with a mixed reception. While gamers seemed to enjoy the story and characters, the gameplay did not receive the same praise. To help make sure the sequel does not suffer the same issue, publisher Square Enix has teamed up with developer Platinum Games, who are known for their work on the Bayonetta series. This has resulted in gameplay that already appears faster and more sleek. The game looks beautiful, and if the recent demo is an indicator of what we should look forward to when the JRPG releases later this year, gamers are in for an excellent treat.

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch featured a stunning art style from Studio Ghibli, who are known for works such as My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki’s Delivery Service. The game was considered one of the best JRPG’s of the past few years, making Revenant Kingdom one of the most anticipated titles in the genre. Revenant Kingdom will keep the same anime-inspired art style as the first game and will feature an all new cast of characters. Developer Level-5 has stated that the upcoming sequel will have many new features and improvements over the original. One of the new features is a system that will allow players to create a kingdom, which makes sense as players are playing as a young boy on a journey to become king. Revenant Kingdom does not have a concrete release date at the moment, but it is expected to release for the PlayStation 4 in 2017.

Persona 5

Persona 5 is perhaps one of the more stylish titles on the way this year. The latest installment of the series still stars a group of high school students, though these students lead a double life as a group of thieves. The title takes place in Tokyo this time around, with players once again controlling a transfer student. While Persona 5 keeps some of the mechanics of the past titles, some new features, such as stealth, have been added. The game keeps the style and charm of previous Persona games, as well as the amazing soundtrack. Persona 5 was originally meant to come to the west in February of 2017 for the PlayStation 3 and 4, but was pushed back to April.